City of Nedlands ranger says more to the job than ‘just chasing dogs’

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CITY of Nedlands ranger Daniel Sharples spoke to the Western Suburbs Weekly for the first of a series looking at those working behind the scenes at your councils.

LAST Christmas Day lunchtime was special for Nedlands head ranger Daniel Sharples (31) in a way he could not have expected when he started his ranger career 11 years earlier.

“Someone had run up saying there was a tree across the road, so I was out, at midday, in the heat, chopping it up and moving it off the road,” Mr Sharples said.

He has been at Nedlands for five years, after stints at Canning, South Perth, Joondalup and Gosnells councils, and said rangers’ jobs among the five-member team at the City were now more diverse than “just catching dogs”.

“We also started dealing with cats, strays and ferals, including trapping cats that kill birds or do not belong to anyone,” he said.

However, problem dogs still occupy rangers’ time.

“If we are ever dealing with dog attacks there’s often the simple reason of someone not walking their dog on a lead, and it could have been prevented,” he said.

“Generally, people will cop a parking fine pretty sweet, and only sometimes do you get someone who kicks off, but if they do you just explain it to them,” Mr Sharples said.

A university sociology graduate, he was planning to join a council’s community development department when he went to a careers session at Canning council, where he spoke to a ranger and was attracted to the practical job.

After a Tafe local council law course lasting two weeks, he was qualified, before a period of probation.